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Sci Tech
Two improved varieties of Delhi Crossandra
By Our Agriculture Correspondent
The farmer-scientist Mr. Vengadapathy Reddiar examining the flowers of the improved Delhi Crossandra variety.
TWO HIGH-YIELDING varieties of Delhi Crossandra have been developed by an innovative farmer-scientist of Pondicherry, and they have been released for commercial cultivation by the farmers recently.
Both the improved crossandra varieties were developed using gamma irradiation techniques, according to Mr. T. Vengadapathy Reddiar at his Lakshmi Narayana's Crossandra Innovation Centre, Koodapakkam in Pondicherry.
One of the new varieties is christened as `Maruvur Arasi', and it has a bright and deep red colouration.
The flower stalks were longer than the normal high yielding Delhi crossandra varieties, and each stalk bore over 75 flowers.
"The flowers of this variety with an attractive red colour will fetch a premium price in the market. The plant can be grown by following the same package of practices prescribed for other high yielding crossandra varieties such as `Lakshmi'," explained Mr. Reddiar.
The plants respond well to the liberal application of organic nutrients, especially vermi compost, and care should be taken to keep the field free of nematodes and other leaf-eating caterpillars.
Treating the soil with Trichoderma viride and inundative release of some beneficial soil microbes will protect the crop from the pests and pathogens.
Spraying with vermi-wash and cow's urine, and application of neem cake and `Panchakavya' will prove to be highly rewarding, according to him.
The other high yielding variety is named after the President Dr.A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. This variety yields bold flowers and they can stand long transportation.
"It yields deep red flowers, which are one and half times larger than other Delhi Crossandra flowers. It will flower all through the year, and it has built-in resistance to major pests. It has a higher yield potential than the other popular varieties," says Mr. Reddiar.
Flowers of this variety have gentle crater-like patterns and a characteristic central channel-like formation. These patterns and its long shelf life will make it attractive to the consumers. It will surely fetch a higher price in the market, and growers will find this variety more promising.
The plants of this variety `A.P.J. Abdul Kalam' also respond well to high doses of nutrient application. Liberal application of organic amendments and bio-fertilisers will prove to be advantageous, according to him.
The improved crossandra varieties will do well in all the crossandra growing belts in south India. Being derivatives of the superior Delhi crossandra type, these varieties can be grown very profitably by adopting some modern management practices and incorporating more and more of the organic nutrients. They lend themselves well to several innovative, ecologically benign plant protection strategies as well, according to the farmer-scientist Mr. Reddiar.
Mr. Vengadapathy Reddiar presented a set of all the promising lines of crossandra developed by him over the years to the President Dr. Abdul Kalam recently.
All of them were planted at the famous Moghul Gardens in the Rashtrapathi Bhavan. The President has commended the initiative of this farmer-scientist, and has assured him support in all his future ventures.
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